setting back

present participle of set back

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for setting back
Verb
  • But the tenacity of Kyiv’s forces in holding back the Russian summer offensive has been a remarkable outlier, and wider Russian progress remains a fierce possibility in the weeks ahead.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Many women mentioned disengaging from projects, holding back in meetings or even hiding their achievements in order to avoid backlash.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This opens up numerous applications, Ibrahim says, proudly holding up a vial of the yellow-brown slush in the lab.
    Sandy Ong, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Joined by cohost Craig Melvin, the 53-year-old anchor was innocently interacting with fans at New York City's Rockefeller Plaza on Wednesday when Melvin spotted a woman holding up a poster of Guthrie sporting her '90s-era black bob.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The long-term effect is a generation carrying debt, stuck in low-wage jobs, and delaying milestones like homeownership or starting families.
    Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Flush-fit door handles fail far more often during side impacts than regular handles, delaying egress or rescue time after a crash.
    Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Despite concerns about feeding a growing global population in the face of a changing climate, along with famines being declared in Sudan and Gaza, the number of calories consumed per person increased by 35% worldwide between 1960 and 2022 and shows no signs of slowing.
    Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Many tech companies thrive with top-down leadership and linear management—clear directives from the founder to executors, without middle layers slowing or distorting the vision.
    Jonathan Low, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Authorities are giving an update on the search for Charlie Kirk’s assassin after detaining a suspect.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The Puerto Rico native has been vocal about ICE over the past few months, sharing footage of an ICE arrest on social media in June that appeared to show agents detaining people in the street.
    Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Setting back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/setting%20back. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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